


Pie and Mash ( Behind the door: day 16)

by DoctorBilly



Series: Behind the door: Advent calendar2014 [16]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 18:33:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2783459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorBilly/pseuds/DoctorBilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 16 of my Advent Calendar for 2014. Prompts are from locations behind the <a href="http://www.safestyle-windows.co.uk/secret-door/index.html">Secret Door</a></p><p>Part 2 of <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2716535"> "Christmas Jumpers" </a></p><p>Dimmock and Lestrade help out at the Crisis centre</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pie and Mash ( Behind the door: day 16)

**Author's Note:**

> If the image doesn't show on your device, you can see it [ here ](http://doctor-billy.tumblr.com/post/105348342178/behind-the-door-day-16-manzes-pie-and-mash-shop)

 

"Hello, Greg! Didn't know you got involved with this."

"I keep it quiet, T. Don't need to make a song and dance of it. I've done it every year since me and Jeanie got divorced." He smiles sadly. "Apart from those couple of Christmases I spent with Bill…"

"Was it really only two?"

"Yeah. The fiasco in Scotland, then the Christmas after he came back from Canada."

"Blimey, Greg. It felt like you two had been together forever…"

"We hadn't. Not really. It was all on-and-off after Knox carved me up. We never really settled back into anything properly…"

Lestrade shivers. Dimmock notices, and changes topics, brightly.

"So what's the plan?"

"We check in with Blue Charlie. He's the boss of us today." Lestrade laughs. "Enjoys it, too."

 

*********

 

"You've got a nice big car, Mr L. Nip down to Chapel Street market. Manze's are donating a hundred and fifty pies, and half a dozen sacks of spuds. But we need to pick them up. Take Mr D with you. Show him the ropes."

 

*********

 

Dimmock rubs the back of his hand across his forehead. It comes away wet. The kitchen attached to the community centre is almost impossible to see across, there is so much steam. Dimmock is on potato-mashing duty, and has never felt so exhausted. He takes a moment to go outside, feeling in his pocket for cigarettes.

He stops on the threshold, hearing a low-pitched noise. He quietly peers around the doorway. Lestrade is squatting against the wall, face buried in what looks like a jumper. The sound Dimmock heard was a sob. There is another one, and a sniff. Dimmock backtracks quietly, then makes as much noise as he can, scuffing his feet, banging the kitchen door, swearing when he can't immediately find his lighter.

"I'm not stupid, T'éo. I heard you come out the first time."

"Can't fool a detective. What's wrong, Greg?"

"Charlie wants us to wear Christmas jumpers for the party. I told him I didn't have one, and he gave me this…"

He holds out the jumper. It is warm white, with a yoke and hem decorated with intarsia christmas baubles in sea glass colours.

Dimmock smiles

"It's from Bill, isn't it? The design's the same as his, except his had Christmas trees on it, not baubles."

"He's got real glass baubles in these colours. He bought them in Venice. I helped him put them on his tree."

"He gave us all jumpers, Greg. Me and Luce, Charlie…"

"Yeah. But he _gave_ yours to you. He didn't leave it with someone else to pass on."

"He was dashing back to France…"

"I know. He didn't look me up while he was here. Didn't say goodbye. Not even a text. Why'd he leave me this?"

"I don't know, Greg. Maybe it's an olive branch. I think he thought you'd be at the Head the other night, with me and Luce."

"I got collared by Sally. I should have… but it hurts, T'éo. It still hurts when I think about him. And it's my own stupid, stupid fault."

"It's been nearly two years, Greg. Hero's a year old…"

"Year and a bit. November, she was born. Lucky for Arkady she turned out to be his, eh?"

"Yes. Could have been awkward if she hadn't been. You made your choices, Greg." Dimmock smiles, kindly. "You thought they were the _right_ choices."

"Yeah. Made my bed. Now I have to lie in it. Come on. Let's put our jumpers on and get this party started."

**Author's Note:**

> Crisis is an organisation that provides a bed, clothes, food, and other comforts for homeless people over the Christmas period. It depends largely on donations and volunteers.


End file.
